CLEVELAND – There are 200 – and it could be 300, 400, even more – basketball players with more talent than Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova who are not in the NBA.

But as LeBron James said in the post-midnight hour Sunday of Dellavedova: "He works his tail off every single day. He beats the odds, and he comes to play as hard as he can every single night."

Dellavedova got to the NBA, from Australia and four seasons at St. Mary's in California, with a style of play predicated on hard work, hustle and knowledge, compensating for a lack of talent to earn an NBA paycheck and meaningful minutes in the playoffs. If you say he had to fight, scratch and claw his way to the NBA, it might be more than figurative speech.

Dellavedova has become the playoffs' most polarizing player, a wanted man in Chicago and now Atlanta after what happened late in the second quarter of Cleveland's 114-111 overtime victory against the Hawks in Game 3 on Sunday, giving the Cavs a 3-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Dellavedova was involved in the incident in which he blocked out Al Horford after Horford missed a shot. The two players tangled, and Dellavedova fell into Horford. As Horford fell on top of Dellavedova, Horford threw a forearm and elbow at Dellavedova. Referees called a flagrant foul 2 on the normally cool Horford, resulting in an automatic ejection.

It was not the first time Dellavedova has been involved in a pivotal play during the postseason. He and Chicago's Taj Gibson were involved in an altercation during the conference semifinals resulting in Gibson's ejection, and Dellavedova fell on Hawks guard Kyle Korver's leg while trying to secure a loose ball. Korver suffered a severe high right sprained ankle and is done for the season.

Not everything is black and white. It's not all "Dellavedova is dirty." It's not all "Dellavedova just plays hard."

Hawks fans feel one way. "Get the menace off the floor!"

Cavs fans feel another way. "Great play, Delly!"

But life is not always black and white. It's shades of gray. Life, even in sports, is nuanced. But nuance is drowned out by the shouting, the hot take, come hard or don't come at all, the First Take-ification of sports in which one side is right, one side is wrong.

Matthew Dellavedova and J.R. Smith react in overtime against the Atlanta Hawks during Game 3.(Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)

The truth about Dellavedova rests in the shadows, in the gray, where the picture isn't always clear. Each situation taken on its own, there are plausible circumstances and explanations for each incident.

• On the Korver play, Dellavedova legitimately dived for the ball and got to it before Korver and offered this explanation for turning his back to Korver. "If I stay on my belly, it's going to be a jump ball. So I protect the ball and kick it out to a teammate."

• On the Gibson incident, Gibson set two hard screens, including one in which he led with his shoulder into Dellavedova's face before shoving him under the basket. How much more was Gibson going to get away with? How much more was Dellavedova going to take? So Dellavedova responded with the leg lock after a made basket, and Gibson lost his cool. Sneaky? Clever? Dirty?

• The Horford-Dellavedova incident is more nebulous and more open for interpretation, with Horford thinking Dellavedova was rolling into his legs, possibly his knees, and Dellavedova explaining that Horford had him by the arm and dragged him down.

Understandably, players are sensitive about knees, legs and feet. They want to protect their lucrative, short-term livelihood. There are respectable basketball minds on both sides of the issues, and some did not like the look of Dellavedova falling into Horford's legs.

No doubt, Dellavedova is irritating to play against, and the NBA has a history of players who like to instigate and fluster opponents.

It's probably even more frustrating that Dellavedova has turned into a valuable contributor and improved as a player from last season to this season. He led the Cavs in scoring in Game 6 against the Bulls and had 17 points against the Hawks in Game 3. He is shooting 35.4% on three-pointers, has four double-digit-scoring playoff games and is a stickler on defense.

It's one thing when LeBron James beats you. It has to be hard to take when Dellavedova is doing it, too.

Dellavedova made it to the NBA with his energetic reckless abandon, and maybe that's the crux of the issue. Players appreciate guys who play hard. Maybe they'd just like less recklessness. Horford acknowledged Dellavedova plays hard.

"He's only been in this league for a couple of years or whatever. But he's got to learn at the end of the day it's a big brotherhood here," Horford said. "Guys look out for each other. I don't think it was malicious, but he has to learn."

It was a reasoned response from a player who was kicked out of an important conference finals game. In totality, he saw all the varying shades of gray.

Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert celebrates with the Eastern Conference trophy after beating the Atlanta Hawks in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.
David Richard, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13), forward LeBron James (23) and guard Kyrie Irving (2) wait to reenter the game during the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.
David Richard, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with guard Iman Shumpert (4) during the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.
Ken Blaze, USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) reaches for a ball going out of bounds during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.
Ken Blaze, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll (5) fight for a loose ball during the first quarter in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.
David Richard, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a 114-111 win over the Atlanta Hawks in game three of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.
David Richard, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) dunks over Atlanta Hawks forward Mike Muscala (31) during the third quarter in game three of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.
Ken Blaze, USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) looks on during a time out against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game three of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.
David Richard, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) looks to make a play aginat Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll (5) in game three of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena.
David Richard, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts with guard Iman Shumpert (4) during the second quarter in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena.
Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) during the second quarter in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena.
Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford (15) controls the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) during the first quarter in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena.
Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) defends the shot of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova (8) during the second quarter in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena.
Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll (5) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) go after a loose ball during the first quarter in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena.
Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) dunks against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Cleveland won 97-89.
Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll (5) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert (4) and forward LeBron James (23) during the fourth quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Carroll was injured on the play.
Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) questions a call against the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena.
Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer and guard Kyle Korver (26) react to a call during the first quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philips Arena.
Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt reacts during the first quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena.
Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll (5) controls the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during the first quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena.
Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against Atlanta Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll (5) during the first quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena.
Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports